Tucker named West coach; Porter among All-Star girls players
Despite the 2020 All-Star Coaches Clinic being canceled last month due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arkansas Activities Association announced the
2020 Basketball All-Star coaches and teams last week by way of Zoom, a video conferencing website. The clinic was originally scheduled for June 2427 at the University of Central Arkansas.
Among this year’s honorees on the West girls team are Lakeside point guard Chloe Porter as well as Kirby head girls coach Robert Tucker and three Kirby Lady Trojans, forward GiGi Davis and guard Adi Harmon. Junior center Mckenzie Jones was selected as the team manager as only seniors are selected to play in the game.
The Lady Trojans (39-5,
16-0 1A-7) earned a 49-42 win over Viola in the Class 1A state championship game on March
12. This is Tucker’s second time to earn the head coach honor.
“I was just kind of shocked,” he said. “It’s a big honor. It always is. I’ve been blessed. It’s just an honor to be able to do it with the other guys that are on your staff. It’s just some great coaches on there, and I’m lucky to have a lot of friends, a lot of peers in my profession that I’ve met and really taught me a lot. All these guys — just been lucky in the situation I’ve been in.”
Tucker explained how thrilled he is that some of his own players were able to join him.
“They were very, very happy, very honored that they were selected to represent Kirby and Class 1A for the game,” he said. “It’s a big honor to get chosen. It’s hard to make the All-Star team every year. It really is. There’s only so many that can be on it — 15. It really is such a big honor for them, and I’m so proud of them for all the work they’ve done and their accomplishments. From winning a state championship this year and then topping it off with them being selected to the high school All-Star game.”
While Tucker is disappointed that the games have been canceled, he understands the need to keep everyone involved safe.
“It is disappointing, but it’s just kind of out of our hands,” he explained. “We want everyone to stay safe. We don’t want to cause more problems than what we’ve already got with COVID-19. It’s just hard. You’d like to see them play and go through it. It’s a big deal to go and meet these kids, the other coaches you kind of hang around with and talk basketball, talk in general. It’s a big deal, and it’s a fun time to get to know each other and have a good time and relax, then play a game. We know the situation, and we understand. We want everyone to stay safe.”
Porter helped lead the Lady Rams (23-5, 11-3 5A South) to the first round of the Class 5A state tournament, accounting for 24 of the team’s points in
the 64-56 loss to Sylvan Hills. The senior leader credits her teammates and coaches for helping her earn the honor.
“It really was a surprise,” she said. “I knew that I got nominated, but since all of the corona stuff has happened it was really up in the air if they were going to announce names or not. Right off the bat, I was just so excited. It’s really just such an honor to be chosen, and I would really just give all the credit to my coaches and my teammates ‘cause we did have such a good season. … [Coach Chris Brock] is definitely a big role model in my life. He loves us so much and wants the best for us. I really give a lot of creds to him.”
While Porter was looking forward to a final chance to showcase her skills on the hardwood, she said that she is proud of what the Lady Rams achieved in her senior season.
“I’m definitely proud of myself, but I’m also proud of my team,” she said. “We had to overcome a lot of obstacles this season with injuries, and we were really able to come together — had one of the best seasons we’ve ever had, so that was good. I was proud of the way I was able to end my high school career.”
Brock was also disappointed that he will not be able to see Porter play in the All-Star game, but he was excited to see her named to the team.
“I would’ve loved to go see her play,” he said. “For a second there, I was nominated as an All-Star coach, so if the stars had aligned, I would’ve gotten to coach her one more time, which would’ve been fantastic, but I really just wanted her to get it. It’s bittersweet for sure because I would’ve loved to watch her play one more time. I know she’d love to play one more time, but at the same time, I’m super happy that they went ahead and named the team because with all that’s happened, it could’ve just been one more thing they could’ve let go.”
Brock said that Porter was the top selection from the 5A South, so he had a feeling that she would get the nomination.
“She had such a great game in our last game at state tournament,” he said. “Basically every step of the way, she conquered what we needed her to conquer, so I thought she had a great shot. She’s a great kid that I just love it when things like that happen for kids like her. She’s a great player, but she’s such a great person — one of the best people I’ve had a chance to be around or coach. I was hopeful for that for her just because she’s such a deserving kid and isn’t a kid who wants to be in the limelight or anything like that, but deserves all the credit and all the awards she’s getting.”